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A.M. 2265. A singular occurrence is noted by the historian. The Patriarch B.C. 1739. having dismissed his family and attendants, was left alone. An unknown personage encountered him, and wrestled with him until break of day: but not prevailing, he touched the hollow of his thigh, and the sinew shrank, so that the Patriarch became lame. This mysterious being changed the name of the Patriarch from Jacob to Israel, in reference to this event: and "Jacob called the name of the place, Peniel; for," said he, "I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." life is preserved." Soon after, he met his brother Esau, and a complete reconciliation took place between them.

Dinah ravished.

Death of
Rachel.

The Patriarch purchased a field of the father of Shechem, king of the country, and settled upon this property. His daughter Dinah, visiting the daughters of the land, was ravished by the young Prince. Willing to make the most ample restitution, the monarch made overtures to the Patriarch relative to the marriage of his daughter with Shechem. His sons dissembled their indignation, and affected to consent to the union, provided their people would submit to circumcision. This was at length agreed to, and accomplished. But Simeon and Levi, availing themselves of the state of helplessness temporarily produced by this rite, deliberately and cruelly murdered both Prince and people, to the no small displeasure of Jacob, who could not but be sensible of the iniquity of the transaction, and the danger to which it exposed him.

Soon afterwards he was commanded in a dream to go up to Bethel, which he had not yet visited, and to discharge there the vow which he had spontaneously taken upon him in his way from his father's house. On his arrival there, Deborah, his mother's nurse, died, which was but preparatory to a more severe and heartrending visitation. After continuing a short time at Bethel, he was anxious to visit his father, who was now very far advanced in life, and whom he had not seen upwards of twenty years. In his way to Ephrath, Rachel, the beloved Rachel, was again taken in labour, and expired. She had said, "Give me children, or I die." She died, not in the refusal, but in the grant, of her desires! What the feelings of such a man as Jacob must have been on such an occasion, and in connection with an object so dear, may be imagined, but cannot be expressed. The historian relates it, with an inimitable pathos, and with a touching simplicity, which, while it makes its way to the heart, demonstrates, beyond all argument, that a narrative must be genuine, which presents such unquestionable features of truth and nature!

A.M. 2266. The mother died, but the son lived; and changing his name from B.C. 1738. Benoni, the son of my sorrow, which was given him by his dying Benjamin. parent, Jacob called him Benjamin, the son of my right hand. To aggravate the grief of the Patriarch, his son Reuben was guilty of incest with his father's concubine-a circumstance which pressed upon his heart, even when he was expiring. Having at length

reached his father Isaac, he continued with him thirteen years; at the expiration of which period Isaac died, aged 180, and was Isaac dies. buried by his two sons, Esau and Jacob.

history.

Joseph was now seventeen years old: endeared to his parent Joseph's alike by this interesting age, and the superior qualities of his mind and disposition. These prepossessions would be greatly enhanced a.m. 2276. by the death of his mother. But Jacob evinced his partiality too B.C. 1728. plainly and imprudently. His affection for this beloved youth excited the envy of his brethren. Reports of the bad conduct of some of the family, which he brought to his father, had also roused their indignation. But the most irritating circumstance was, that he related to them two separate, yet similar dreams, which appeared to foretell his future greatness and superiority over them. The brethren tended their father's flock at a distance from his residence; and Jacob, who could not but have remarked the ill effects of his unwise partiality, wishing to remove their prejudices, and to assure them of his affection, sent Joseph to inquire after their welfare. No sooner did they see him approaching, than they conspired to kill him; and agreed to deceive their father, by dipping his many-coloured robe in blood, and affirming that he had been destroyed by some wild beast. Accordingly, upon his arrival, they stripped him, and cast him into a pit. While they refreshed themselves with food, a company of Ishmaelites passed by; and deeming it more advisable, as well as profitable, to sell than to slay him, they put him into the hands of these merchants as a slave, for twenty pieces of silver. Reuben, who intended to have delivered him out of their hands, and to have restored him to his father, missed him from the pit, (not having been present at this transaction,) and was greatly distressed. Concealing the fact from him, they dipped the coat in blood, and took it home to their father, who entertained not the smallest suspicion of the deception practised upon him; but, concluding that his child was devoured, refused to be comforted. Joseph, in the meanwhile, was carried into Egypt. Before this time, Judah had married a Canaanitish woman; by Judah's whom he had three sons, Er, Onan, and Shelah: but the history of this branch of the family is related at once by Moses, that it may not subsequently interrupt the story of Joseph; the principal occurrences taking place at this period. Er was guilty of some crime not recorded, and cut off in his prime, and before he had children. His widow, according to the customs of that time and country, became the wife of Onan; who took such measures to defeat the end of his marriage, that he was punished with death also. Judah, terrified at the untimely decease of two of his children, under pretence of the tender age of Shelah, prevented his union with Tamar, and sent her to her father's house. Tamar, finding that she was deceived, and that Judah never intended to give her in marriage to his son, who was now of age; dressed

any

history.

A.M. 2277. herself as a harlot, and waited in a place where she was likely to B.C. 1727. meet her father-in-law: her face being veiled, so that he could not

Joseph's story resumed.

know her. A criminal intercourse took place between them; the
consequences of which were soon apparent. When it was discovered
that Tamar was with child, Judah cited her to the tribunal of her
country, by the laws of which she would have been condemned to be
burnt alive; but, at this crisis, she produced the pledges which
Judah had left with her, when he supposed her to have been a
harlot; and demonstrated, beyond all question, that the child was
his own.
He acknowledged the fact, brought her home, but had
no further connection with her. This intercourse produced twins;
one of whom putting forth his hand first, the midwife put a scarlet
thread round it, supposing he would be the first born; but he drew
back his hand, and his brother was born first; on which account he
was called Pharez, and the other Zarah. Pharez is found in the
genealogy of St. Matthew, among our Lord's ancestors.

On the arrival of Joseph in Egypt, he was sold by the Ishmaelites to a chief officer of the guards of the King of Egypt, named Potiphar. He conducted himself so well, and his master's affairs prospered so much under his management, that the entire conduct of his concerns was left to him. His mistress conceived a criminal passion for him; and when she found it impossible to seduce him from his reverence of God, and his loyalty to his master, she accused him to her husband falsely; in consequence of which he was cast into prison. into prison.

He is cast

Pharaoh's
Dreams,

He soon found the same favour with the keeper of the prison, which he had before found with Potiphar; and was treated with the same measure of confidence. It so occurred, that the King of Egypt was displeased with two of his principal servants, and imprisoned them. They were committed to the charge of Joseph. Observing them one morning unusually depressed, he inquired what troubled them? They related to him their dreams the preceding night; upon hearing which he interpreted to them, that the one implied a speedy restoration to favour; and the other, approaching death. As he said, so it took place. The chief butler was restored, within three days, to his office; and the chief baker was hanged.

Not long afterwards, Pharaoh himself had two dreams, which exceedingly perplexed and distressed him. And as the sages of Egypt could not solve them, it occurred to the chief butler, that there was a Hebrew captive whom he had forgotten, but who had truly interpreted interpreted his dream; and he mentioned Joseph to the king. The Hebrew was immediately sent for to court: and when the monarch told his dreams, he interpreted them as signifying seven years of plenty, to be succeeded by seven years of famine, both of them excessive. Pharaoh no sooner heard this, than he appointed Joseph next to himself in power, that he might take such steps as should

by Joseph.

be necessary to preserve the State under these approaching vicissi- a.m. 2289. tudes. At thirty years of age, the Hebrew captive found himself at B.C. 1715. the head of the government of Egypt. He was proclaimed prime Joseph minister; and contracted a marriage of great distinction.

appointed minister to

As he predicted, so it occurred: there were seven years of the Pharaoh. most exuberant plenty, succeeded by seven years of the most excessive want. But Joseph had so husbanded the produce of the fruitful years, that ample provision was made against the years of famine. His zeal for the king appears indeed to have carried him beyond the limits of strict justice; since he bought not merely the possessions of the Egyptians, but their persons for Pharaoh.

corn.

In the meanwhile the famine extended from Egypt over all Jacob sends Canaan; and Jacob, oppressed with want, hearing there was corn to Egypt for in Egypt, sent his sons thither to purchase a supply for themselves and their families. He retained Benjamin, the only surviving son (as he imagined) of his beloved Rachel. When they came into Egypt, Joseph knew them, but they had no recollection of him. He treated them as spies, speaking sharply to them; and caused Simeon to be bound as a hostage for their return, requiring of them to bring Benjamin the next time; for they had acknowledged that they had a younger brother at home. He also gave secret directions, that the money which they brought should be returned, and lodged in their sacks' mouth. In the course of their journey, they perceived this to their utter dismay.

Upon their return to their father, the relation of these circumstances greatly increased his distress; and he peremptorily refused to let Benjamin accompany them when they next should visit Egypt. But the famine continued; and their wants became so urgent, that he was compelled to yield; and Judah bound himself, by the most solemn ties, to restore the son, so reluctantly yielded by his father. They came to Egypt: were more kindly received than at first: Simeon was released: and they returned homewards with their number complete. But in order to detain them, Joseph had commanded his steward secretly to convey his cup into the sack of the youngest and when they had left the city, he issued orders that they should be pursued, charged with the theft, and brought back to his presence. Secure in their innocence, they offered death or bondage as the punishment of the individual with whom it might be found. What was their grief and horror when the cup was found in Benjamin's sack! They were brought back to Joseph, and they offered to become his slaves. This he rejected, requiring only the individual in whose possession the cup was found. It was then that Judah pleaded for his brother Benjamin and his aged father, with all the eloquence of distress. The feelings of nature soon overcame all the affected reserve of Joseph; and bursting into tears, Joseph ache ordered all his servants to quit his presence, and made himself knowledges

known to his brethren.

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his brethren.

A.M. 2297.

He sent for his father: required all his family to come to him into B.C. 1707. Egypt: introduced them to Pharaoh: and obtained for them the grant of the land of Goshen.

Jacob dies.

Seventeen years of quiet were afforded the venerable Patriarch, after his restoration to his long-lost and deeply-lamented child. At A.M. 2315. length the period arrived when he must die. He blessed his sons B.C. 1689. respectively, in terms that proved prophetic in regard to their posterity, and expired. According to his desire, he was carried up to Canaan, and deposited with Abraham and his family, in the cave of the field of Machpelah. The lamentation at his death was deep and universal.

Joseph returned to Egypt: and serving his monarch with fidelity; instructing his family in the fear of God; soothing his brethren, and nourishing their little ones, he filled up the circle of fifty-four more Joseph dies. years; and then, at the age of 110, followed his father to the grave; A.M. 2369. leaving his bones to the charge of his brethren and their descendants, B.C. 1635. to be deposited with the dust of his ancestors, when the time should arrive that his people should be restored to their country.

Chronology.

It is only necessary to add, that the principal features in the history of Joseph, are recorded by Trogus Pompeius, and preserved by Justin, in his abridgment of that work. We have now arrived at another important pause in history: and if the authenticity of the book of Genesis be denied, we are in a world full of eventful histories which have neither beginning nor connection; design nor consummation.

The Tables which follow will serve to connect the preceding History ;

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6 This also was the year of the flood, at which time Noah was 600 years old.

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